oliviagouck's review against another edition
5.0
Graphic: Blood, Death, Grief, Injury/Injury detail, Violence, Gore, Gun violence, and War
Moderate: Homophobia
trish_reading12's review
- Plot- or character-driven? A mix
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? No
- Flaws of characters a main focus? It's complicated
4.5
Alice Winn’s writing style creates a vivid portrayal of active battle during WW1.
The character development from young people at boarding school to individuals who had seen too much death and suffering was incredible.
The relationships between the characters feel genuine.
I am looking forward to reading whatever Alice Winn writes next.
Graphic: Death and War
Moderate: Bullying, Confinement, Blood, Classism, Medical content, Violence, Grief, and Injury/Injury detail
bexh's review
- Plot- or character-driven? A mix
- Strong character development? It's complicated
- Loveable characters? It's complicated
- Diverse cast of characters? No
- Flaws of characters a main focus? It's complicated
4.0
Graphic: Mental illness, Death, War, Medical content, Medical trauma, Gun violence, Grief, Homophobia, Injury/Injury detail, Mass/school shootings, Sexual content, and Violence
zoemaleah's review against another edition
- Plot- or character-driven? A mix
- Strong character development? No
- Loveable characters? No
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? No
3.5
Graphic: Gun violence, Death, Violence, Mental illness, Sexual assault, Sexual content, War, Body horror, Grief, Homophobia, Blood, Gore, Injury/Injury detail, and Medical trauma
beanie_bob's review against another edition
- Plot- or character-driven? A mix
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? It's complicated
4.25
I’m completely stunned by the fact that this is a debut novel. It’s so good. (To be fair, Alice Winn apparently wrote three unpublished novels before this, so we see that practice really does make perfect). I wish I had a physical copy to annotate. I can’t wait to see what comes next from Alice Winn.
I really love the the first third of this novel (even the first half). So much is brewing in this stage - we meet many of the main players, we witness and toil over unrequited love, we go to war, we experience tension and terror, and begin to accumulate death.
I love yearning. I love two people who believe they can’t be together, or that the other is uninterested, or who regret not being brave enough to say something, or who regret saying something and losing everything. Now do all of that under the pressure of a world war. Awful. Exquisite.
The last third of third works a little less for me, but I never lost my desire to follow the story to the end.
Gaunt: Thoroughly my type. Tall, broad, wide, quiet, serious but completely smitten on the inside. War changes everyone and by the end he’s no longer a closed fist.
Ellwood: His soul is eviscerated at some point. If Gaunt becomes who he’s meant to be (a leader, a kind man, an open man) Ellwood becomes what he never should have been, and then claws his way back from that.
They’re just boys. They’ll be in their 40s when WW2 starts. War is hell.
Graphic: Death, Gore, Mental illness, and War
Moderate: Antisemitism, Violence, and Alcoholism
Minor: Suicide
sylexlibris's review
- Plot- or character-driven? Character
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
4.5
Graphic: War, Injury/Injury detail, Schizophrenia/Psychosis , Blood, Death, Gore, Grief, Homophobia, Medical content, Medical trauma, Physical abuse, Violence, Mental illness, Sexual content, Suicidal thoughts, Murder, and Panic attacks/disorders
pierrereads's review
- Plot- or character-driven? Character
- Strong character development? It's complicated
- Loveable characters? It's complicated
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
4.0
Graphic: Blood, Death, Gore, War, Violence, and Injury/Injury detail
Moderate: Toxic relationship, Panic attacks/disorders, and Sexual violence
Minor: Sexual content
kal517's review against another edition
- Plot- or character-driven? A mix
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? No
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
4.5
Graphic: War, Violence, and Death
Moderate: Bullying, Injury/Injury detail, and Homophobia
Minor: Suicide and Antisemitism
elysianpoems's review against another edition
- Plot- or character-driven? A mix
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? It's complicated
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
5.0
Graphic: War, Violence, Murder, Body horror, Injury/Injury detail, Blood, Grief, Medical trauma, Gun violence, Death, Panic attacks/disorders, Gore, and Suicide
Moderate: Homophobia, Bullying, and Mental illness
Minor: Antisemitism and Classism
ofherpoems's review against another edition
- Plot- or character-driven? A mix
- Strong character development? It's complicated
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? It's complicated
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
5.0
Graphic: Violence, Injury/Injury detail, War, Death, Gore, Panic attacks/disorders, Gun violence, and Grief
Moderate: Antisemitism, Mental illness, Homophobia, Suicide, and Bullying